Woman Charged with Homicide In Bernards Township Car Crash

A woman suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol has been charged with vehicular homicide after causing a fatal Bernards Township car crash, as reported by The Bernardsville News.

According to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office,44-year-old Lori Weiss of Warren Township will face charges of second-degree vehicular homicide and third-degree assault by auto for her involvement in the two-car crash on January 16 that claimed the life of a driver and placed his daughter in critical condition.

County Prosecutor Jeffrey D. Soriano gave a statement announcing the charges the day following the accident. Soriano said that Weiss, a resident of Hazelwood Court, was driving her 2011 Mercedes Benz on Martinsville Road around 8:45 p.m. when she suddenly crossed the center linenear The Pingry School and Mountain Road. Weiss continued into the opposing lane and struck a 2008 Honda Accord head-on.

When police and first responders, including the Liberty Corner Fire Company, the Liberty Corner First Aid Squad, and the Basking Ridge First Aid Squad arrived at the scene, they were unable to revive the driver of the Honda, 44-year-old Peter Calvelli of Bridgewater Township. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Soriano confirmed that Mr. Calvelli’s 25-year-old daughter was riding in the passenger’s seat at the time of the crash, and she was taken by ambulance to Morristown Memorial Hospital with critical injuries.

As the county Prosecutor’s Office’s Collision Analysis Reconstruction Team and the Bernards Township Traffic Safety Unit began their investigation of the crash, they detected an odor of alcohol on Weiss’ breath. She was also transported to Morristown Memorial, but suffered only minor injuries.

Our staff would like to extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family and friends, and we urge anyone with additional information about the crash to contact Bernards township police at (908) 766-1122.